Toeing the Thin Red Line
It's good! That's what real wasabi's supposed to taste like!
Wasabi?
U-Um, are you all right, Charl?
I... I'm okay...
It has a good kick.
You don't have to hold things in at times like this, too.
Are you all right?
If you can't sit in seiza, why not move to a table?
I'm all right.
Compared to what I had to go through to get this seat, this is nothing.
Seat?
No! It's nothing!
Ichika.
Girls have secrets.
Is that right?
Yes, we do.
Houki.
Why does she look so angry?
Cecilia, if you're having that much trouble, do you want me to help you eat?
Like I did with Charl-
Ichika!
Sorry.
Really?!
You really will help me eat?
Oh, that?
It's such a waste to not finish such delicious dishes.
Okay, then starting with the sashimi.
Yes!
Oh, only a little wasabi, please.
Yeah.
Ah~
No fair, Cecilia!
She's getting Orimura-kun to feed her!
Cecilia's a cheater!
No fair.
That Ichika... He's completely forgotten that tomorrow's July 7th, hasn't he?
Can't you guys have a meal quietly?!
O-Orimura-sensei...
Orimura, stop making a scene.
You're causing trouble for me.
Y-Yes...
Therefore, Cecilia, I'm sorry but you have to...
Then to make up for this, come to my room later.
To your room later?
I... Ichika-san, are you...
Mabushii kaze no naka de egakuyo kimi no egao
Amidst a bright wind, I think of your smile.
Sunao ni nareru shunkan
It's time I can be honest with myself.
Chiisana koto de yureru yowai jibun ga kuyashii
I hate how I'm excited over the smallest things.
Nakitai toki datte ue wo muite
Even when you want to cry, look up!
Watashi dake ni dekiru koto ga aruno
There are things only I can do.
Akiramenaiyo kimi wo mamori tsudukeru
I won't give up. I'll continue protecting you.
Tomaranai supiido de omoi ga afureteiku
Feelings keep welling up at an unstoppable speed.
Maketaku wa nai dareyori mo kagayaite itai
I don't want to lose. I want to shine brighter than anyone.
Hoshi ga mienai hi mo hikari wa aru kitto
Even on nights you can't see stars, light is sure to be there.
Shinjiru koto negai mirai e
I head to the future believing and dreaming.
Ano sora de aeru kara
We're sure to meet in the sky.
So much for bringing a bunch of games to play with Orimura-kun.
We can't do anything if he's in Orimura-sensei's room.
I'm so glad... I'm so glad I had it prepared for just this case.
Cecilia's putting on naughty underwear!
What was that?! Strip it off!
Strip her! Make her leave everything behind!
Don't pull!
It really is naughty.
Is it one for a "moment of truth"?
My, my, Cecilia's a daring girl.
You're so naughty.
I-I am not naughty.
Th-This is just... mannerism.
Yes! I'm only dressing appropriately!
That was cruel of them.
But now I can finally meet with Ichika-san.
Orimura Chifuyu
Orimura Ichika
What's the matter?
Orimura Chifuyu
Orimura Ichika
Chifuyu-nee, are you a little nervous since it's been a while?
How could I be, you idiot.
Be a little gentle, will you?
Yes, yes. Then how do you like it here?
Hey that's... Stop it.
It'll start feeling good in no time.
You're so tight.
W-W-Wh-What is going on?
How's here?
I said not there!
My bad.
Honestly! What a bunch of idiots!
So you were getting a massage.
I'm glad. For a second we thought...
What did you think we were doing?
Naturally-
N-Nothing.
Nothing special.
Believe it or not, he's good at giving massages.
You guys should take turns and each get one.
Sure. Then first up, Cecilia.
I-I'm first?
That's why I called you in the first place. Come lie down here.
O-Ow. Ow-ow.
Sorry, I'll be gentler.
How's this? This doesn't hurt so much, does it?
It feels very good.
It feels so good, it's making me sleepy.
You're ready, aren't you, you little brat?
This is inappropriate for your age.
And it's black, too.
S-Sensei! Please let go!
Don't expect to go to town with a teacher present, fifteen-year-old.
T-T-Tow...
I'm just playing with you.
Ichika, go buy us some drinks.
O-Okay.
Hey, what happened to the energy you always have?
Um...
It's the first time we're talking to you like this, so...
Well, fine.
Time to get down to business.
So, what do you all like about him?
Yeah, he's useful.
He does household chores, cooks fairly well, and gives good massages.
The girl who gets with him will be lucky.
Well? You want him or not?
You'll give him to me?
Like I would, dopes.
If you're a woman, think of taking him away.
Polish yourselves up, brats.
Houki?
Please Pull
Hey, isn't this...
I don't know! Don't ask me.
Hey, are you sure you can leave it like this?
What are you doing?
Just a little...
You fell for it, Ikkun!
V! V!
I-It's been a while, Tabane-san.
Yup, yup. Long time no see.
It really has been a while.
By the way, Ikkun, where's Houki-chan?
E-Er...
No worries. I can find her easily with this Houki-chan radar.
Bye, Ikkun. Catch you later!
I-Ichika-san... Who was that person?
Shinonono Tabane-san.
Houki's older sister.
Okay, so all those with personal units are here, right?
Hold on a second. Houki doesn't have a personal unit.
W-Well...
I'll explain.
You see-
Kyahoo~
Chi-chan~
Hey! Hey! I missed you, Chi-chan!
Let's huggy-hug! Let's confirm our love!
You're annoying, Tabane.
Your iron claw's as merciless as always.
Tada!
Hi.
Greetings.
It's been a while.
How many years has it been since we've met like this?
You've grown so much, Houki-chan.
Particularly your chest a-
I'm going to hit you.
You said it after you hit me!
Houki-chan's so mean!
She's mean, isn't she, Ikkun?
Y-Yes...
Hey, Tabane, why don't you introduce yourself already?
Bah, what a drag.
I'm the genius, Tabane-san.
Hello!
That's it.
Tabane, as in...
The genius scientist who created IS?
Shinonono Tabane.
Now, eyes to the sky!
Tada!
Here's Houki-chan's personal unit, Aka Tsubaki!
It's Tabane-san's hand-crafted machine that exceeds the specs of all other existing IS.
After all, Aka Tsubaki is a fourth-generation IS made by me!
Fourth-generation?
Various countries are finally releasing third-generation test models...
Yet, she...
Get it? I'm the genius Tabane-san.
Houki-chan! Let's get you fitted and get it personalized.
Go on, Shinonono.
I've already entered some of your data in advance.
All that's left to do is to update it with the latest data.
Wow. Such unbelievable speed.
Fitting, done!
I'm so fast! That's so me!
As a test, make it fly.
It should move just like you imagine it will.
Yes. I'll give it a try.
Oh my god! It's fast!
That's a fourth-generation's acceleration?
What do you think, Houki-chan? It moves better than you thought, doesn't it?
Well, yes.
Then try your swords out.
The one on the right is Amaduki, and on the left is Karaware.
I'm sending you the weapon specs!
Amaduki, ready?
Nice, nice.
Next, try intercepting these.
There you go.
Not bad.
Unbelievable.
Great, great.
I can do it! With this Aka Tsubaki-
W-We have an emergency!
Orimura-sensei!
Please take a look!
Special mission level A.
Start taking counter-measures now.
Stop the test run!
There's something I need you guys to do.
Who is that?
She's Shinonono Tabane.
INSIDE FIELD RADIUS
UNIDENTIFIED IS
Two hours ago, a third-generation model co-developed by the USA and Israel undergoing tests near Hawaii,
UNIDENTIFIED IS
Silverio Gospel, or simply Gospel, left its test zone and has gone out of control.
We're told it's out of range of their radar.
According to the information, it's an unmanned IS.
Unmanned...
After acquiring it via satellite, it's been determined Gospel will enter the airspace two kilometers from here.
That will occur fifty minutes from now.
Due to school orders, we are in charge of settling the situation.
The teachers will close off the airspace and waters using training units.
Therefore, the key personnel for this mission will be those with personal units.
Wh-What?
Basically we will stop the rogue IS.
Seriously?
Stop being surprised by every comment.
We'll now start the strategy meeting.
Anyone with something to say, raise your hand.
Yes. I request detailed spec data on the target IS.
Sure. But do not share with others.
If the information leaks, you will be tried by the supervisory commission,
and be placed under a minimum of two years of surveillance.
Understood.
A special gunner-type designed for wide-area attacks.
It appears it can perform all-range attacks like my IS.
It's a unit that stresses offense and mobility.
That's difficult.
This special equipment is tricky.
I don't think we can continuously block it.
Based on this data, we cannot discern any close-combat capabilities.
Can we not perform any scouting?
That won't be possible.
This unit is traveling at supersonic speeds as we speak.
ESTIMATE
We can make only one approach.
Just one chance...
Then we have no choice but to face it with the unit with the most offensive power.
We're going to take it down with your Reiraku Byakuya.
It's the only way.
The problem will be...
How to get Ichika there.
It'll be difficult if we don't save all his energy for the attack.
How do we cover the logistics?
We need an IS fast enough to catch up with the target.
A high-definition hyper-sensor will also be needed.
W-Wait a minute.
I'm going in?
Of course!
Don't say it at the same time!
Orimura, this is not training.
It's a real battle.
If you don't have the resolve to fight, then we won't force you.
I'll do it.
I will do it.
Good.
Then the fastest amongst you with personal IS units is-
Hold it! Hold it!
PLACEHOLDER
Put a hold on that strategy!
It's her again...
Chi-chan, Chi-chan! In my head is "now printing" an even better strategy!
Get out.
Listen to me!
This is where Aka Tsubaki really shines!
What?
Aka Tsubaki, let's go.
Orimura-sensei, do our superiors know that Dr. Shinonono is here?
They know.
The priority, now, is to stop the rogue IS.
Houki-chan, open the expandable armor.
Expandable armor is a feature of fourth-generation units.
To put it simply,
Aka Tsubaki is an evolved version of Yukihira2.
Evolved...
All the armor around her is expandable!
V! V!
But hey, speaking of going rogue over the ocean, this takes me back to the White Knight incident ten years ago.
The White Knight incident, huh...
Ten years ago, a month after Tabane-san unveiled IS,
2,341 missiles from around the world were hacked and launched at Japan.
While the world was in a state of panic, one woman clad in a silver IS appeared.
Later referred to as the White Knight, she intercepted all the missiles and disappeared into the sunset...
...as if everything had been an illusion.
I wonder who that White Knight was!
Don't you, Chi-chan?!
I don't.
My guess is that her bust size was 88-
Th-That was mean, Chi-chan!
Tabane-san's brain got split in half!
Really? That's great. Now you can think with two brains, each independently.
Oh, you're right!
You're so smart!
I'm putting us back on track.
So Tabane, how long does it take to tune Aka Tsubaki?
Orimura-sensei.
What?
Blue Tears and I will be successful.
The high-mobility package, Strike Gunner, has been sent here.
Has that package's performance already been quantized?
N-No, not yet...
FYI, seven minutes is all I need to tune Aka Tsubaki!
Okay.
Orimura and Shinonono will take point for this mission, and will pursue and intercept the target.
Time to mission start - thirty minutes.
Everyone, get ready!
Looking good.
That's not true.
Stop that grumpy face.
Smile! Smile!
I'm born with this face.
Were you?
Anyway, let's get your Aka Tsubaki tuned.
I have to end this successfully.
Only I can deliver the fatal blow.
So this is Aka Tsubaki.
My personal unit.
BrushUP!! yuuki kyou mo watashi no haato kirameku
BrushUP!! Courage, today again my heart will glitter.
Next Future hajimatteru ne!
My next future has already begun.
dare ni mo yuzurenai yo sorezore no puraido
We can't surrender our pride to anyone.
mitome atteru tte iwanakute mo
We don't have to say that we acknowledge each other.
massugu maemuki na no... wakaru
You're always positive. I can tell.
ganbatteru notte ureshii shinpashii
Seeing you work so hard is a nice kind of sympathy.
tsuyoi kaze ga mikata ka douka nante
Tell me, is the strong wind our ally?
kankei nai jibun shidai da wa ikanakucha!
It's all up to you. We've got to get moving!
tomaranai karadajuu ni nagaredasu enajii
Unstoppable energy flows from our bodies.
saikou no watashi de tondeike!
Fly because of my success!
Super Super Stream kanjiteru yo
I feel the super super stream.
ima mo mirai mo oikoshi sou na tsubasa ni naru
It'll turn into wings that may even fly me past both present and future.
BrushUP!! yuuki kyou mo makenai haato migaku yo
BrushUP!! Courage, today again my unyielding heart will shine.
Next Future minogasanai de!
Next Future. Don't miss it.
Preview
What a big problem this is turning into!
Who'd have thought a rogue IS would come out.
Will they be all right?
Damn it! If only we had personal units, too.
Yeah, we'd go help them right away.
But there's nothing we can do about it. All we can do is pray.
Next time. Get Ready.
「Get Ready」
Next Time
Everyone! Please come back safe!